Conveyer for conveying loose material such as coal in coal mines



May 25, 1954 A. M. VAN DlJK I 2,679,314 CONVEYER FOR CONVEYING LOOSE MATERIAL suc H AS COAL IN COAL MINES Filed Jan. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIGJ May 25, 1954 A. M. VAN DIJK 2,679,314 CONVEYER FOR CONVEYING LOOSE MATERIAL suc H AS COAL IN COAL MINES Filed Jan. 5, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 2' y 25, 1954 A. M. VAN DIJK 2,579,314

CONVEYER FOR CONVEYING LOOSE MATERIAL SUCH AS com. IN COAL MINES Filed Jan. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1s q T 17 I 2- ::7: I 15 t j 9 C I 28 29 6 27 18 FIG. 6

Patented May 25, 1954 CONVEYER FOR CONVEYING LOOSE MATE- RIAL SUCH AS COAL IN COAL MINES Arend M. van Dijk, Terwinselen, Netherlands, assignor to Stamicarbon N. V., Heerlen, Netherlands Application January 5, 1953, Serial No. 329,583

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a conveyor for conveying loose material such as coal in coal mines. More particularly, the invention relates to a conveyor of the type comprising an endless belt which travels over idler rollers rotatable in bearings mounted on a supporting frame which is builtup of several sections, whereby beams are supported by stools, the beams and stools being connected by interengaging pins and recesses.

A conveyor of this type is described in James Thomson Patent No. 2,551,513 issued May 1, 1951 and advantageously may be used for conveying coal in coal mines because the various parts constituting the supporting structure rapidly can be erected, extended and dismantled without the use of tools.

Prior structures of this type are suited for taking up tension in the longitudinal direction, but, because of their sectional structures, are less suited for taking up compressive forces. Such compressive forces occur when the floor of a mine gallery in which the conveyor is employed is leveled. In more detail, because of rock pressure the floor of a mine gallery will heave at some places and thereby produce undulations of the floor surface and these undulations have to be eliminated periodically. After such leveling of the floor, the run of the conveyor, measured along the leveled. floor, is reduced. As a result of this shortening of length the pivotal coupling plates are placed in an oblique position or some of the stools are displaced in a lateral direction, so that the longitudinals or beams are no longer in alignment. This causes undue wear of the conveyor belt.

An object of the invention'is to provide an improved sectional supporting frame for an endless belt conveyor of such design that the longitudinals or beams always can be maintained in perfect alignment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. sectional supporting frame for an endless belt conveyor in which the point at which the longitudinals or beams are connected to the stools can be adjusted.

With these and other objects in view the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a section of a belt conveyor, with portions omitted;

Figure 2 is a corresponding plan view;

Figure 3 is an end view of the conveyor;

Figure 4 is an elevation on a larger scale of a stool with attached longitudinal;

Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section on the line VI-VI of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is an elevation of a modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are indicated by like references, the conveyor comprises an endless belt, the upper run I of which travels over sets of three idler rollers 3, 1 and 5 which are rotatable in bearing brackets 6. Each set of these rollers is arranged in such a manner as to keep the belt in a troughlike shape as shown in Figure 3. The lower run 2 of the belt travels over single idler rollers 1 supported in the standards or stools B.

The supporting structure of the conveyor is composed of a plurality of sections, each section comprising a stool 8, a pair of spaced beams 9, a number of idler boards I0 and cover plates l I.

The stools are constructed double ended for supporting two parallel beams 9, each end being provided with a base l2 by which the stool rests on the floor, ground or concrete blocks, and with a supporting bar [3 on which the beams 9 rest. The base l2 and supporting bar 13 are interconnected by a vertical standard IA of suitable length. The two ends of the stools are connected by means of a cross bar l5. Furthermore, the stools are provided with coupling plates l6, each fixed to its standard i l by means of a pin ll. In the example according to Figures 4 to 6, each coupling plate [6 is provided with pairs of studs l8 and i8 for connection with the beams 9, the two studs l3 being at the inner side of plate l6 and the studs i8 being at the outer side for the purpose hereinafter described. The studs l8 and I8 are all of the same size but, as shown in Figure 4, wherein the studs 18 appear in solid lines and the studs 18 in dotted lines, the studs 18 are spaced farther apart than the studs 18'.

The beams 9 are right-angled in transverse section to include a horizontal flange l9 and a downwardly extending vertical flange 20. A ridge or shoulder 2! projects downwardly from the lower surface of each end of horizontal flange l9, shoulder 21 being spaced from vertical flange 20 by a distance corresponding to the width at bar I3. Hence, as shown in Figure 5, the beams 9 will closely engage the bars I3 so that the beams will be maintained in alignment. In the embodiment according to Figures 4 and 5 each end of the beam 9 is further provided with a downwardly extending projection 22 so that a recess 23 is formed in the ends of flange 20. The studs l8 thus will be enclosed in a horizontal sense between the downwardly extending projection 22 and the opposed face 24 of recess 23,

so that the movement of the beams 9 in a longitudinal direction is restricted. Each projection 22 is provided with a hook-like member 25 to extend beneath the stud l8, so that movement of the beams 9 in a vertical direction also is prevented except to a limited extent. The foregoing is in accordance with my application Serial No. 329,581, for Conveyor for Conveying Loose Material filed January 5, 1953.

If after leveling of the floor of the mine gallery, the ends of the beams 9 have been brought closer together, the length of the conveyor must be reduced in order to maintain the conveyor belt in a straight line. This is done by reversing the coupling plate [6 so as to cause its face shown outermost in Figures 4 to 6 to be positioned inwardly, thereby causing the studs l8 to project inwardly. In this way, the studs i8 will be positioned for engagement by the recesses 23 in the ends of the beam flanges 20. In order to provide for this reversal, the pin I1 is provided at its end with a bolt or smaller pin 26 extending through an aperture 21 of coupling plate l6. Coupling plate I6 is secured to the bolt 26 by means of a. washer 28 and a split pin 29. Because the pins I8 lie closer together than the pins [8 used for the original connection to the beams 9 the length of the conveyor will be reduced by this reversal of plate l6.

In the embodiment shown in Figure '7 the coupling plate 16 is provided at each end with an upwardly facing recess 30 and a downwardly facing recess 30', the recesses 30 lying farther apart than the recesses 30'. The longitudinals 9 are provided with studs 3| adapted to engage the recesses 30 as described in my said application filed herewith. Shortening of the conveyor may be efiected by turning the coupling plate top to bottom so that the recesses 30 can co-act with the studs 3|. To this end the coupling plate of Figure 7 is provided with a second hole 21" to fit the pin 26 when the coupling plate has to be turned. To prevent lifting of the longitudinals 9 when the structure is erected, the coupling plate I6 is provided with hooks 32 and 32' overhanging the recesses 30 and 30' as described in my said application filed herewith.

It will be observed that plate H at both forms comprises a coupling device provided with two pairs of engageable means facing in different directions.

The terminology used in the specification is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a conveyor structure, a stool element, a pair of beam elements, and means to connect said stool element to said beam elements comprising interengageable means on each of said elements, the means on said stool element being arranged in two pairs upon a coupling device with each pair facing in a different direction with respect to the other and spaced apart a different distance with respect to the other, said coupling device being mounted for reversal to face in either of said directions with respect to said stool.

2. A conveyor structure of they character described in claim 1 wherein said stool includes a laterally projecting pin and said coupling device is mounted on said pin.

3. A conveyor structure of the character described in claim 1 wherein said coupling device is a plate and the engageable means thereof are pairs of pins projecting from opposite sides of said plate.

4. A conveyor structure of the character described in claim 1 wherein said coupling device is a plate and the engageable means thereof are pairs of recesses respectively rovided in the upper and lower edges of said plate.

No references cited. 

